Variable gain amplifier systems are useful for a large range of applications where a signal is to be amplified by some amplification factor and the amplification factor is modified by a gain control signal Such amplifiers are particularly useful for automatic gain control systems when the amplification factor of the variable gain amplifier has an exponential relationship to the gain control signal. However, the variable gain amplifier systems in use suffer from the sensitivity of transistor transconductance to variations in temperature. This sensitivity to temperature variation causes corresponding changes in the system gain. For variable gain systems with exponential gain control characteristics, such temperature sensitivity can cause very objectional variations in amplifier output. Furthermore, variable gain amplifier systems in use are gain limited by small signal emitter resistance in their gain controlling stages, so that their range of gain change is thereby limited.